Eye injury sidelines Kearns

Inaugural Melbourne Storm prop Robbie Kearns could be sidelined for up
to six weeks after it was revelled today that the former Test forward
has a fractured left eye socket.

Kearns will undergo surgery tonight to have a plastic plate inserted in
the socket after tests today confirmed that the 31-year-old suffered a
fracture following an accidental clash with Panthers substitute Shane
Rodney, during last Friday night?s 55-point win over Penrith.

Kearns is expected to miss between four and six weeks after he was
forced from the field with the injury just before halftime last week, he
has been suffering blurred vision ever since.

?Today?s results have shown that Robbie?s eye socket has an orbital
fracture in the bottom of it where the eye-ball sits,? Storm doctor
Michael Makdissi said.

?There?s no injury to the eye itself, it?s just a bone-related injury
which is actually quite fortunate because he got a whack on the eye-ball.

?He?ll have a plastic plate inserted to support the bone in the socket
and at this stage it looks like he?ll be out for between four and six
weeks, the key will be how swollen his eye is after surgery and how long
the eye muscle takes to recover.?

The injury means the former Storm captain will miss Sunday?s clash with
the second-placed Bulldogs in Sydney.

After rocketing into the NRL?s top four following last Friday?s
record-breaking win over Penrith, Melbourne will be looking to record
its first win over the Bulldogs in four years.